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Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans Central, St. Albans
St. Albans
AL1 3HG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
A mock tudor edifice and quite dominant by a busy roundabout,you enter into a large open plan space split into different sections.However the vastness of the interior means the pub has much less atmosphere than most other ,older town centre pubs.
There is a lower level seating area with leather bench seating,a flatscreen dominates one side of the L shaped interior,while the rear door leads to a vast beer garden,a major draw in good weather.
Overall it felt like a chain pub and the bar staff seemed unenthusiastic .There are 7 handpumps,but on my trip two were "available soon" leaving Doom Bar,Mighty Oak Here Come Summer,Windsor & Eton Guardsman and Oakham Inferno and Northern Pacific (not at the top of it's game).
There are also 6 wall mounted keg taps set in white tiling but serving some megabrewery owned former craft beer brews.
Worth a quick one on a real ale crawl,but lacking any charm to stay a while.
On 23rd August 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
This modernised gastro pub has a bit of an off-putting location on a busy roundabout at the top of the main shopping street, but once inside, it feels like a nice sanctuary from the bustle outside. The pub looks rather attractive on approach thanks to bold flower boxes and hanging baskets which make it really stand out. You enter into a smart split-level room with bare boards through most of the space plus some rather funky tiled flooring around the bar area. A long, curved button backed banquette runs along the wall opposite the bar area with nice upholstered chairs adding to the comfy seating options here. Curved front windows give you a good ‘people-watching’ view out to the busy street beyond. To one side of the room there is a lower seating area centred around a small brick fireplace with a nice silhouette of a blacksmith and anvil above. The bar has a long tongue and groove counter which turns 90 degrees at the left hand end and runs back into a space dominated by high tables and stools. A couple of TV screens were showing some test cricket whilst a moody soundtrack played in the background. The walls have been decorated with a mix of old fashioned paintings, local photos and craft beer or blacksmith themed drawings. To the right of the bar, a door leads out to a large beer patio with lots of decent looking seating which was proving a popular suntrap on a hot Bank Holiday Monday.
There were five ales available on this visit – Oakham Citra and Bishop’s Farewell, Sharps Doom Bar, Greene King Abbot Ale and Farr Brewers Bitter with a couple of ciders taking up the remaining handpulls. I also counted six craft keg options from the likes of Camden and Brewdog. My pint of Citra was a bit steep at £4.10 but was at least in very good shape. I also decided to have some lunch here and enjoyed some simple, tasty pub grub, although again the prices might be seen as a little steep.
I really liked the feel of this pub which seemed quite warm and inviting despite its obvious modern makeover and food focus. There was a good atmosphere from a sizable crowd and the beer range and quality was sufficient enough to encourage return visits. Not quite in St Alban’s top league of pubs, but a very solid and satisfying visit nonetheless
On 7th November 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
Nice, large pub on a road junction that has been opened up and modernised. Clean and well looked after.
Real ale here, kept ok
On 2nd August 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
I seem to recall this large mock tudor pub at the top end of the main shopping drag in St Albans was always one to avoid back in the day due to it having a bit of a reputation of being Chav central with cheap lagers as the main attraction.
But clearly all change under the stewardship of the Stonegate pub company on the evidence of this visit. Internally it’s still got the feel of a large pubCo owned outlet with laminated plastic food menus and several screens including a large drop down one for the sport. But it’s worth a visit for its two main USP’s in the very large external outdoor drinking space, excellent for a fine weather evening such as the one we visited on, and probably the widest choice of ales of any of the pubs in town.
There was a slight suspicion that its more quantity over quality on the ale front as a couple of our party had a couple of flat and ropey beers, but I couldn’t complain about my Oakham The Robber so have to say this was a vast improvement compared to my remembrances..
On 23rd August 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
Substantial pub in a prominent position by a main road junction, with a fine brewers' Tudor façade so you can't really fail to notice it. Refurbished interior of no particular distinction featuring a range of seating / dining areas, but perhaps its best feature is the sizeable beer garden to the rear. Standard Stonegate menu. Decent choice of real ales from ten handpumps, including two from Boggart and a pair from Leighton Buzzard.
On 23rd August 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
Large mock tudor pub with a fairly dull, open-plan and bashed-about interior. Hopes raised by seeing loads of ale, nine in total plus proper cider. Sadly my Leighton Buzzard Borrower was awful (cheesy tasting) and the Dark Star APA – usually one of this kingdom’s finest brews – was a muted and pale imitation. ‘All fur coat and no knickers’ was my summation on the day.
On 1st August 2015
- rating: 5
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
An imposing pub just off a busy roundabout with a brewers' Tudor facade. A large open plan boarded room with a central bar which sported ten handpumps. A decent range were on, Woodforde Wherry, Dark Star American Pale Ale, Oakham The Robber, Doom Bar, Adnam's Ghost Ship, two from Leighton Buzzard, Borrowers Bitter and Restoration Ale plus two from Boggart Brewery, Rum Porter and Nibb. There was also a cider from Thatchers, Heritage.
There is a huge garden to the rear, popular and a warm and pleasant day, this includes a yurt which can be hired I understand. Great beer range, ok pub.
On 31st July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
A quite large, imposing looking corner pub,reasonably spacious inside with a great cask beer range available from the ten handpumps, my two choices here were Oakham The Robber and Darkstar American Pale Ale,both were in fine fettle . Definitely a pub for the beer enthusiast.
On 28th July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
Very busy corner pub with massive beer garden inc a yurt(don't ask) that you can hire for the night.Ten handpumps.My Jarrow -American ipa was outstanding.Loud live band on my Friday night visit but they were playing killer tunes so no problems.
On 28th February 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
A short walk from central St Albans, the Blacksmiths (formerly a Hogs Head) seems to have had its share of ups and downs in recent years. There is nothing particularly remarkable about the building, a typical Brewery Tudor corner pub with an open plan interior, bare floors and plain décor. What does makes it worth the visit is probably the best Real ale selection in town.
There are currently 10 hand pumps with (on my visit) 2 standard ales (Bombardier and Speckled Hen) + 7 more interesting guests (Orkney Dragonhead, Cwmni Bragdy Celt, Potbelly Inner Caze, Oakham Black Hole, Dark Star Hophead, Oakham Inferno and Cheddar Valley cider).
It seems hard to believe that prior to its major refurbishment in 2009, this was apparently a virtual ale free zone and chav magnet of a place but has gradually turned the corner and now appeals to a wider and one would suspect more appreciative crowd. My Saturday night visit found the place quite bustling and a live band were about to set up so don’t expect it to be a quiet haven for reflective ale tasting.
They also claim to have the largest beer garden in town that apparently seats 600 people, something I failed to note being a) dark and b) at the end of a lengthy crawl.
To be honest the live music would have been too intrusive for me to fully appreciate the place and I didn’t stay beyond a couple of pints but there is certainly enough here ale wise to keep anyone happy for a few hours although I would make it a bit earlier in the day next time.
On 7th April 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]